Ralph Lauren Admits Responsibility For 'Distorted' Ad

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NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 08: Singer Cheryl Crow, Designer Ralph Lauren and wife Ricky Lauren at the Ralph Lauren Fall 2008 show during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2008 at Skylight Studios on February 8, 2008 in New York City (Photo by Jemal Countess/WireImage)

Fashion HouseRalph Lauren has confirmed that an ad, which sparked uproar online over what appeared to be an abnormally thin model, was indeed an approved photo released by the company.

"For over 42 years we have built a brand based on quality and integrity. After further investigation, we have learned that we are responsible for the poor imaging and retouching that resulted in a very distorted image of a woman's body," a rep for the company said in a statement on Thursday to Access Hollywood.

On Wednesday, the advertisement, which features model Filippa Hamilton, went viral not only because the image featured the model looking like her hips were smaller than her head, but also because the company demanded that culture blog Boing Boing take the image down over claims of copyright infringement.

While Access Hollywood hasn't been able to reach the model for comment about the "distorted" image, the rep for Polo Ralph Lauren said in their statement that they will work to avoid altering women's bodies to this degree in the future.

"We have addressed the problem and going forward will take every precaution to ensure that the caliber of our artwork represents our brand appropriately," the statement concluded.